Find your summer scent

Friday, 21 September 2012

I think we can all agree that it’s time to move from the heavy winter fragrances to the lighter, zesty, summer ones. But why should we even be considering this change in the first place? Beauty Heaven explains…

It seems like just yesterday I was discussing the ins and outs of your nose and how it becomes seriously fussy during winter when it comes to its perfume preference. Its love of intense, heavy, woody notes is precisely what it craves during the cooler months, really.

But guess what? Your snout is equally as picky when the warm weather hits, as it turns away from the juices that are powerful and moody, and instead welcomes a force of fresh, citrusy notes. Why? Well, heat amplifies the notes in a perfume, meaning the intense fragrance you’ve been sporting during winter will be oh-so-overpowering and even a wee bit sickening during spring and summer.

This is where the subtle, light, crisp scents come in. When September swings around we look for fruity, citrus notes such as mandarin, grapefruit, neroli and bergamot, for an instant hit of freshness. However, citrus notes evaporate quickly – longevity is not their strong point – so this is why fragrance connoisseurs often team them with floral notes (think jasmine, lily of the valley and rose) to give them some guts and staying power. Smart, huh?

Wait, you’re not a fan of zesty scents? You can still play around with fragrances in summer, just look for something a little more exotic with grassy, woody notes or even coconut. You’ll still smell fresh and light, just a little more mysterious.

Megan Kakora has helped launch the websites of, and been the online editor for, some of South Africa’s biggest glossy magazines. She believes in less-is-more, except when it comes to her collection of nail polish colours.
Megan on Google+

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